As children played and laughed, proud mothers and nurses smiled, too. After spending more than two years together, 10 local mothers graduated from the Buncombe County Nurse-Family Partnership program. The public health program pairs registered nurses with low-income, first-time mothers. As one mother said, “It is a bond that I will never forget.” (photo by Caitlin Byrd)
![](https://mountainx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Wellness_mother-480x333.jpg)